Fluid delivery system

ABSTRACT

A fluid delivery system, such as a petrol pump, wherein there is a flexible hose between the pump and meter and the hosecock, has its main shut-off valve placed between the pump and the hose, a nonreturn pressure-relief valve near the hose end remote from the pump and shut-off valve, and a switch mechanism contained in the hosecock for operating the shut-off valve. Hence, whenever the flow is shut off only the back pressure of the nonreturn valve is felt within the hose, thus permitting the use of light hose and making handling easier. Desirably, the hosecock is provided also with an automatic cutoff or overfill prevention device operative to close the main shuf-off valve when the end of the hosecock dips into the fluid.

United States Patent Mor an 1 Mar. 14 1972 [54] FLUID DELIVERY SYSTEM1,647,043 10/1927 l-lawxhurst ..222/73 2,138,380 11/1938 Killman et al......l41/215 [721 Invent Bmmley' gland 3,102,555 9/1963 Botkin ...141/225x [73] Assignee: The British Petroleum Company Limited, 3,251,507 5/1966Murray... ..141/225 X London, England 3,335,746 8/1967 Lebow ..137/219 X[22] Filed: May 1969 Primary Examiner-Edward J. Earls [21] Appl.No.:820,802 Att0rney--Morgan, Finnegan, Durham and Pine [30] ForeignApplication Priority Data [57] ABSTRACT A fluid delivery system, such asa petrol pump, wherein there June 7, 1968 Great Britain ..27,l49/68 is aflexible hose between the pump and meter and the hosecock, has its mainshut-off valve placed between the [52] U.S.Cl ..222/74, 137/219,15121425254 pump and the hose, 3 nonreturn pressureqeliefvawe near the[51] Int Cl 367d 5,373 hose end remote from the pump and shut-off valve,and a [58] em 198 206 switch mechanism contained in the hosecock foroperating the 141/214 22273 i shut-off valve. Hence, whenever the flowis shut off only the back pressure of the nonreturn valve is felt withinthe hose,

thus permitting the use of light hose and making handling easi- [56]References Cited er. Desirably, the hosecock is provided also with anautomatic cutoff or overfill prevention device operative to close themain UNITED STATES PATENTS shuf-off valve when the end of the hosecockdips into the fluid. 1,957,398 5/ 1934 Wallace ..222/75 1 Claims, 2Drawing Figures ,PATENTEDHAR 14 I972 ,EMQM flu ATTORNEYS FLUID DELIVERYSYSTEM The present invention relates to a fluid delivery system.

ln metered fluid delivery systems, particularly petrol pumps, wherethere is a flexible hose between the pump and meter and the hosecockthere is a real handling problem. This hose must be fairly rigid as itforms part of the delivered measure and changes of volume with changingpump pressure greater than the permitted tolerances could take place ifit were much more flexible. It is this rigidity which causes mostdifficulty in handling and it is one object ofthis invention to overcomeit.

When the liquid is shut off manually at the hosecock in a pump of thissort the hose takes the full pump pressure, whereas when a preset valveis used for final shut off the hose is only subjected to the slight backpressure of the non return valve mounted in it to keep it full. Thisdifference can be quite considerable and any dilation in the hose willcause an error of measurement.

The present invention overcomes these difficulties by placing thehosecock valve between the pump and the hose so that whenever the flowis shut-off only the back pressure of the nonreturn valve is felt withinthe hose. This permits the use of light hose and makes handling easier.

Thus, according to one feature of the present invention there isprovided a fluid delivery system comprising a pump connected to a shutoff valve which is in turn connected by a flexible hose, containing anonreturn valve near the end remote from the pump and shut-off valve, toa nozzle on which nozzle is mounted means for operating the shut-offvalve.

Any fluid may be used but the system is particularly suited to filling amotor vehicle.

As the shut off valve of this invention is connected between the pumpand flexible hose a separate preset valve is not necessary to deliver ameasured quantity of fluid. A mechanical, electric, electromagnetic,pneumatic, hydraulic or other linkage can be used to connect the valveto a presetting device.

Any of the linkages singly or in combination: mechanical, electric,electromagnetic, pneumatic or hydraulic may also be used to link thehosecock switch with the shut off valve. Preferably the linkage ishydraulic.

To prevent over-filling of the tank it is desirable to have an automaticcutt-off device mounted on the hosecock cock to close the main shut offvalve when the end of the hosecock dips into the fluid.

Thus according to another feature of the present invention there isprovided an over-fill prevention device which comprises an air bleedline leading from the outside surface of the hosecock nozzle, close tothe discharge orifice, to one side of a diaphragm chamber, another airbleed line leads from the same side of the diaphragm chamber to theinterior of the hose or hosecock.

Thus when the end of the nozzle dips into fluid covering the end of theair bleed line the suction caused by fluid flowing past the other end ofthe line deflects the diaphragm which may be suitably linked to theshut-off valve.

The invention is illustrated by FIG. 1 and 2 of the accompanyingdrawings of which FIG. 1 is a diagram of a fuel delivery systemaccording to this invention and FIG. 2 shows a section partlydiagrammatic, through the shut-off valve and hosecock.

With reference to FIG. 2 the shut off valve comprises an ovoidal valvebody 1 with an open inlet 2 at one end and an outlet 3 at the other endclosed by a mushroom main valve member 4. The mushroom valve (4) has ahollow stem 5 whose downstream end communicates with the outlet (3), andwhose upstream end communicates, with the interior of an oblately ovoidchamber 6 mounted inside the valve body 1. The chamber 6 is divided intotwo smaller chambers 7 and 8 by a diaphragm 9 attached round andsupporting the end of the hollow stem 5 and biased towards thedownstream small chamber 8 by a coil spring 10. The downstream smallchamber 8 is connected with the interior of the valve body 1 by vents11. Down the inside of the hollow stem 5 but not touching its wallspasses a stem 12 one end of which is rigidly fastened to the upstreamend of the internal chamber 6. The other end carries a small poppetvalve 13, large enough to close the hole through valve 4 by which thehollow stem 5 communicates with the main outlet 3 and hose 14. From theupstream small chamber 7, a narrow tube 15 leads outside the valve body1 to a small valve 16. This valve comprises a body divided into twochambers 17 and 18 with a passage 19 between them which can be sealed bya poppet valve 20 having a stem 24. The tube 15 enters the chamber 17upstream of the poppet valve 20 which is biased towards the upstream endof chamber 17 by coil spring 21 to start the passage 19. A tube 22emerges from the chamber 18 at the downstream side of the poppet valve20 and leads to the hosecock 23. The stem 24 of valve 20 traverses thepassage 19, emerges from the upstream end of valve chamber 17 and isattached by a system of levers 25 comprises hosecock nozzle 47 connectedto hose l4 and to a presetting device which is not shown.

The hosecock 23 for opening the poppet valve 20 against the action ofspring 21, contains a non return pressure relief valve comprising anannular valve seat 26 which, as here preferably embodied is, mounted inthe nozzle (47). A valve 27 is biased towards the upstream end of thenozzle onto this seat by a spring 28. The hosecock 23 also contains aswitch mechanism comprising a push button 29 biased outwards by a spring30. The lower side of the button is attached axially to the outer end ofa rod 31 bearing a thin circular disc 32 mounted axially on the innerend. This disc bears on a sphere 33 which in turn rests on another disc34 mounted axially on the outer end of a rod 35, which passes into theupstream chamber 36 of a valve body 60 and thence into the downstreamchamber 36 through the opening 36" and carries a poppet valve 37 on itsinner end. The poppet valve 37 is biased upstream toward opening (36")and shut by spring 38. The tube 22 from the valve 16 enters the upstreamchamber 36 and another tube 39 emerges from the downstream chamber 36')and enters the hose nozzle 47 downstream of the nonreturn valve 27. Fromthe sphere 33, a rod 40 extends at right angles to the rods 31 and 35but in the same plane. This rod 40 is attached by a crank 41 to theouter end of another rod 42 which enters a diaphragm chamber 43. The endof the inner rod 42 is attached to diaphragm 44 which is biasedoutwardly along the axis of the rod by a coil spring 45 in the lowerhalf of the diaphragm chamber. A tube 46 connects the lower half of thediaphragm chamber with the outer surface of the hosecock nozzle (47)near its open end by a vent (48). Another tube (49) connects the lowerhalf of the diaphragm chamber with the interior of the hosecock nozzle(47) downstream of the nonreturn valve (27) at a point where the nozzlediameter is constricted to provide a venturi constriction (50).

Using this apparatus the valves are actuated hydraulically. While fluidis flowing through the hose and the main valve member 4 of the mainshutoff valve is open as in FIG. 2, a small quantity of fluid will leakthrough the hollow stem 5 of the main valve 4 into the internal chamber7 and then out through tube 15 valve 16 tube 22 and valve 36 into thehosecock nozzle 47 by way of tube 39. While this flow is main tained thepressure in the chamber 7 to the rear of the diaphragm 9 in the shut-offvalve is less than that in the chamber 8 on the valve side of thediaphragm and thus the main valve member 4 is held open against thespring 10. When the flow is cut off the pressure in the chamber 7 behindthe diaphragm rises to equalize that in the chamber 8 on the main valveside of the diaphragm, which allows the valve spring 10 to act to movethe diaphragm and the main valve 4 attached to it until the valve closesthe outlet 3 to the hose 14. At the same time the small poppet valve 13mounted on the stem 12 located in the hollow stem 5 of the main valve 4closes the hole in the main valve. I

The flow may be cut off either by operating the levers 25 from thepreset device to release the poppet valve 20 and thus close the smallvalve 16 in the bleed line 15 from the small chamber 7 or by releasingthe hosecock switch pushbutton 29 which allows the small poppet valve 37in the bleed line 22 to close. If the end of the hosecock nozzle 47clips into fluid sealing the air bleed vent 48 the suction produced intube 49 and the lower half of diaphragm chamber 43 by the venturiconstriction 50 in the hosecock nozzle causes the small diaphragm 43 tomove inwardly against its spring 45 moving rod 42 inwardly and actuatingthe crank 41 and rod 40, thereby withdrawing the sphere 33 from betweenthe two discs 32 and 34 and thus allowing the small poppet valve 37 toclose shutting off the flow in the bleed line between shut-off valve andhosecock and thus closing the main valve.

We claim:

1. A fluid delivery system comprising, in combination:

a pump; a hosecock having a nozzle; a flexible hose connected at itsinlet end to the output side of said pump and connected at its outletend to said hosecock for conducting fluid under pressure from said pumpto said hosecock for delivery through the hosecock nozzle; a mainshut-off valve placed between and connecting the output side of saidpump to the inlet end of said hose; a nonretum pressure-relief valvesituated near the hose end remote from the pump and the main shut-oflvalve, to prevent leakage; and, switch means contained in said hosecockand linking the hosecock to said main shut-off valve, for operating themain shut-off valve from said hosecock; in which system the said nozzlehas a reduced diameter portion providing a constriction; and in whichsystem also the said main shut-off valve comprises a valve body, a mainvalve member movable in said body from a normally closed position, inwhich fluid flow from said pump into said hose is prevented, to an openposition permitting such flow, diaphragm means in said valve bodyconnected to said main valve member, for opening said main valve memberin response to an unbalanced fluid pressure on said diaphragm means, andmeans for bleeding fluid from said main valve body to establish saidunbalanced fluid pressure; and in which system also the said switchmeans comprises a valve chamber having a first chamber portioncommunicating with the interior of said nozzle at said constriction, asecond chamber portion communicating with said means for bleeding fluidfrom said main valve body and a normally closed, manually openable,valve in said chamber between said first and second chamber portions,whereby upon manually opening said normally closed valve, fluid will bebled from said main valve body into said constriction through said meansfor bleeding fluid and through said chamber portions and said main valvemember caused to open in response to the unbalanced fluid pressurecreated in said main valve body.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CQRRECTEQN Patent No.3,648,894 Dated March 14, 1972 Invent0r(X) Alan George Morgan It iscertified that error appears in the above-identified patent and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Col. 2 Line 12, for "start" read shut Col. 2, Lines 16 and 17,

for "comprises hoseread for opening the poppet cock nozzle (47) convalve20 against the nected to hose (14) I action of spring 21 and" a C01. 2Lines 19 and 20,

for for opening the read comprises hosecock nozpoppet valve 20 zle (47)connected to against the action of I hose (14) and spring 21,"

Signed and sealed this 19th day of 1 September l972 (SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER", JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissionerof Patents FORM DO-1050 (10.69) USCOMM-DC 60376-P69 us. sovznnusm mmnusOFFICE: was o-ass-3a4

1. A fluid delivery system comprising, in combination: a pump; ahosecock having a nozzle; a flexible hose connected at its inlet end tothe output side of said pump and connected at its outlet end to saidhosecock for conducting fluid under pressure from said pump to saidhosecock for delivery through the hosecock nozzle; a main shut-off valveplaced between and connecting the output side of said pump to the inletend of said hose; a nonreturn pressure-relief valve situated near thehose end remote from the pump and the main shut-off valve, to preventleakage; and, switch means contained in said hosecock and linking thehosecock to said main shut-off valve, for operating the main shut-offvalve from said hosecock; in which system the said nozzle has a reduceddiameter portion providing a constriction; and in which system also thesaid main shut-off valve comprises a valve body, a main valve membermovable in said body from a normally closed position, in which fluidflow from said pump into said hose is prevented, to an open positionpermitting such flow, diaphragm means in said valve body connected tosaid main valve member, for opening said main valve member in responseto an unbalanced fluid pressure on said diaphragm means, and means forbleeding fluid from said main valve body to establish said unbalancedfluid pressure; and in which system also the said switch means comprisesa valve chamber having a first chamber portion communicating with theinterior of said nozzle at said constriction, a second chamber portioncommunicating with said means for bleeding Fluid from said main valvebody and a normally closed, manually openable, valve in said chamberbetween said first and second chamber portions, whereby upon manuallyopening said normally closed valve, fluid will be bled from said mainvalve body into said constriction through said means for bleeding fluidand through said chamber portions and said main valve member caused toopen in response to the unbalanced fluid pressure created in said mainvalve body.